New Delhi: The Delhi Commission for Women remains non-functional at a time when crimes against women are rising in the national capital. The office at Vikas Bhawan stands locked, with empty corridors where women once queued for urgent help. The commission has been without a chairperson since Swati Maliwal resigned in January 2024, and without staff since May 2024, when 223 contractual employees were removed.
Nearly two years have passed without a functioning body. The Supreme Court recently asked where women should turn during crises if the commission remains closed. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta earlier promised to restart the DCW, yet no steps have been taken.
The helpline number 181, once central to providing immediate assistance, no longer connects callers to a responsive support system. A former member said the commission earlier handled lakhs of calls and thousands of sensitive cases every year. Field staff worked around the clock to ensure FIRs, counselling and legal support.
Delhi continues to report the highest numbers of rape, dowry deaths, acid attacks and crimes under POCSO among major Indian cities. The closure of the DCW leaves survivors without a trusted channel for quick intervention. Former members and women’s rights leaders warn that women hesitate to approach police without institutional backing, which pushes cases into long delays and further harassment.
Political leaders from the Congress and CPI(M) criticised the Delhi government for ignoring women’s safety. They said the commission must be restored immediately, without political influence, so women can report crimes without fear.
As reported by Sonia Yadav in The Wire
